COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Jai Alai India Pale Ale pays tribute to the original extreme sport. Jai Alai, a game native to the Basque region of Spain, is played on a court called a fronton. Jai Alai players attempt to catch a ball using a curved mitt, whilst the ball travels at speeds of up to 188 miles per hour! Proving they have a sense of humor the Spanish dub this game, with its ball traveling at race car speeds, """"the merry game."""" Tampa was once home to a busy Jai Alai fronton but sadly all that remains of Jai Alai in the Tampa Bay area is this India Pale Ale that we brew in tribute to the merry game.
The India Pale Ale style of beer has its roots in the strong ales sent from England to thirsty British troops in India during the 18th century. To survive the journey the beers needed more alcohol and more hops (which act as a natural preservative). This “big” brewing practice made India Pale Ale one of the first """"extreme beers"""" and a favorite among the Queens military men in India. Eventually it became a favorite style of the new crop of American brewers seeking more flavor and complexity than mass-market brewers were willing to offer.

Golden-amber. Not much head. There’s a little woody, almost anglo-hop to it with light citrus notes (grapefruit) as well. Has that chewy, earthy richness and moderate bitterness. Fairly smooth presentation. Well-made but does not conform to my Seattle-centric IPA bias.

UPDATED: FEB 9, 2015 355ml can (Koht, Tallinn)
Peachy and mandarin aroma, but gets more dull and malty later, a pretty flat IPA, no zing. Straw, brief head. Has both sinky and floaty bits, nice. Not. Startchy body, sweet, some citrussy hops, some bitterness. Finish nicely bitter. Later I get vinegar in the aroma, oooh, that’s bad. Body gets starchier later, hops become more acidic and harsh. Unsatisfying IPA. However, it does cover the alcohol well, mostly by throwing harsh acidic fertilised female hops at the problem. Which causes just as many problems. "Canned 09/02" have you guys ever heard of the concept of years? Another crappy IPA. Snore. Oh gawd, I just noticed the commercial description. Why can’t stupidity be more painful for the perpetrator?

Bottle, 75cl, shared by chrisv10. It pours an unclear body, orangey amber in color and with a finger-thick off-white head. It’s piney, resiny and peachy on the nose, with caramel maltyness in the back. The flavor is really delicious, bitter, fruity and appropriately sweet. Resins, pine cones and peaches, some grape fruit peel. Full body, quite dry, and nicely bitter, finishing with green pine cones and grapefruit peel. And bitterness of course. A really delicious beer, it might be an idea to make it dried, but it’s lovely as it is. 110819

A: The beer pours a clear golden orange color with a couple fingers of white head that clings to the glass and leaves a nice lace on the glass.
S: Decently perfumey with a nice floral note and a lot of orange zest, too. There is a light breadiness underneath the hops and a prevailing, though light, citrus note to it.
T: The flavor is pretty nice, better than the nose. Light pineapple with grapefruit and orange, and lots of orange zest. There might even be a bit of melon. Lightly malty with some bread and a light bitterness.
M: Medium bodied with a moderate carbonation.
O: Not the hugest fan of some of the variations of this beer, but this base version is actually decent.

Join us! RateBeer is made by beer enthusiasts for the craft beer community.
Your basic membership is free and allows you to read all beer ratings.
Click here to create your account... and give your opinion!